It has recently come to our attention that a lot of people are unaware of what the SUGAR Group is all about. I hope the following can clear some of that up.

The SUgar Glider Advanced Research Group is a registered non-profit organization dedicated to the study and research of all matters concerning sugar glider anatomy, physiology, husbandry and relationships. We are a group of dedicated volunteers and consultants from both the online sugar glider community and from outside of this community.

Our current and ongoing projects include:
* The collection of data through necropsy reports, lab reports, x-ray reports and histopathology reports.
* The collection of data through the use of our veterinary wellness check forms & injured/ill glider forms.
* The disbursement and collection of surveys pertaining to illness, injuries, standards of practice, medication use, breeding and breeding gliders, seizures, anal glad impaction, facial abscess, necropsy results, rescue practices/census, enrichment, average glider statistics, broken bones, the use of the antibiotic Convenia and the use of laser therapy treatments.
* The creation and disbursement of educational materials targeted toward veterinarians, veterinary practices & owners involved in rehabilitation of an injury or illness.
* Collaboration with a couple of vets to write articles for publication in professional journals
* The NECROPSY EFFORT, which provides partial re-imbursement to owners who have a necropsy and/or histopathology conducted on their deceased glider.
* Consultation and collaboration with individuals responsible for the organization of exotic veterinary conferences across the nation

We continue to develop new surveys, new data collection methods, new contacts in the veterinary world, and new projects which will benefit glider owners and gliders across the world.

The SUGAR Group's mission is to improve the care and treatment of sugar gliders nationwide by compiling and analyzing data and statistics regarding sugar glider life, care, treatment & death and utilizing that analysis to facilitate the development of improved treatment techniques, care advice, diet, medications and veterinary/rehabilitation care

www.thesugargroup.org

One of the most important things that we work on, is compiling data about sugar gliders in order to learn more about their health, anatomy, behaviors, etc... We can't do that without your help. Please email sugargroupsurveys@hotmail.com with "Survey Request" in the subject line. Thank you all so much for your participation and help.

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Be sure to join us on facebook! Search "SUGAR Group".

One of the most important things that we work on, is compiling data about sugar gliders in order to learn more about their health, anatomy, behaviors, etc... We can't do that without your help. Please email sugargroupsurveys@hotmail.com with "Survey Request" in the subject line. Thank you all so much for your participation and help.

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Brenda, time is a funny thing for me... How long has the SUGAR group been operating? how long have they been collecting/compiling data? (Hubby asked and I have no idea!)

Oh my goodness! I just looked back to see and we have been operating and collecting data since about September 2008. It doesn't seem that long to me.

So not quite a year and a half. Cool!

Don't forget to request your surveys and get them in! Every little bit of information helps!

Would like to thank everyone who supported our 1st annual RRRoundup and filled out surveys on the spot! There were a lot of you. Thank you so much! Anyone else who would like to help us out, please email sugargroupsurveys@hotmail.com with "Survey Request" in the subject line.

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The following is a list of surveys we have currently available:

* General survey (for everyone)
* breeders and Breeding Gliders
* Allergies & Intolerances (for everyone)
* Neuter (for anyone that has ever had one)
* Facial abscesses (for anyone that has experienced one)
* Necropsy (for anyone that has experienced one)
* vet trends (for everyone)
* Medication trends (for everyone)
* 2009 census (for everyone)
* Rescue census (for rescue homes only)

If you would like to help us out, please email sugargroupsurveys@hotmail.com with "Survey Request" in the subject line and ask for the surveys you feel you can contribute to. Thank you so much for your assistance & your gliders thank you, too!!

Please bear with me. Because I am so new, I just wanted to clarify that anyone can help with the surveys?? If so is there a length of time we are required to have our little fuzzy companions before submitting?

I would love to help in any way I can. But I am also so new that I am not sure what I can contribute yet.

Thanks for explaining the Sugar Group. I think it is WONDERFUL!!!

Anyone and everyone can help! Doesn't matter how long you have had gliders. Thank you!

Have you ever wondered just how many gliders really SM? Or what percentage undergo amputations each year? Or maybe you wondered how often the average owner experiences an emergency surgery (just how prepared do you need to be anyway?). When talking to your vet, have you ever wished you could say, "well _________ is actually more common than we think?" Or "100's of gliders survive this procedure each year." ????

Well, these questions and more are some that the SUGAR group seeks to answer with our yearly incidence and census survey.

The 2009 Incidence and Census survey only takes a few moments to complete, but provides us with a great deal of valuable information for our research.

If you have not already done so, PLEASE complete your 2009 survey by sending a survey request to sugargroupsurveys@hotmail.com

The SUGAR Group's seizure study is recently updated to further our research and data collection. If you have participated before in the seizure log, then you will notice that the biggest change is that the data sheet is now completed and returned each time the glider has a seizure episode (rather than quarterly).

If you have a glider who experiences seizures, please be sure to request, complete and return the SUGAR Group's seizure study form each time the glider has a seizure. You can request the form by emailing sugargroupsurveys@hotmail.com

Once the study form is sent to you, hang on to it for use each time your glider has a seizure. We need 150 completed forms to begin to draw conclusions and see patterns.

Thank You!

Just a quick reminder that the SUGAR Group is always collecting data on a variety of issues and topics.

You can visit our website here: SUGAR Group and fill out seven different surveys right there. You can also download other surveys and complete them.

The SUGAR Group currently has these surveys/studies ongoing:

Dehydration (can be filled out by anyone who has had a glider diagnosed with dehydration)
2011 Incidence and Census (should be filled out once per year by EVERY owner)
Allergies & Intolerances (should be filled out once by every owner)
Parasites (can be filled out by anyone who has had a glider diagnosed with a parasite)
Brief Diet Survey (should be filled out once by every owner)
Enrichment (should be filled out once by every owner0
Seizures (should be filled out each time a glider has a seizure)

You can also download surveys that we are collecting regarding facial abscesses, necropsy, death, and primary statistics.
Look for the death and primary statistics studies to be added to the website soon.

While visiting the SUGAR Group website, you can read some of our recent data reports or learn about the Necropsy Effort and our special memorial quilts.

Just read this and it's wonderful to collect this kind of data.

Did you know that each survey you complete for the SUGAR Group is seen by only 2-3 staff members? This is one way that we keep confidentiality. By limiting the number of staff members who have access to personal information, we limit the number of possible leaks for that information. Your personal privacy is very important to the SUGAR Group. To participate in our studies, visit us at our new website: http://www.sugargroup.org/